Sheriff's Safety Town teaches youngsters through hands-on experiences

11:56 PM,
Jul. 14, 2014

Children learn the importance of seatbelts at Sheriff's Safety Town.

Written by

Maya Lau

A tornado warning flashed on the television just before the lights cut out. Then came the sounds of lightning and thunder, prompting several children to huddle into a closet, crouching with their hands covering their heads.

One of the youngsters, 7-year-old Elizabeth Watts, later said "it was like there was a real tornado." But the rising second-grader knew not to be frightened.

That's because the so-called tornado was a simulation performed by Sheriff's Safety Town, an educational center created by the Caddo Parish sheriff's office on Jewella Avenue. Founded in 2008, Safety Town ...